Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1473705
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM JULY 20 - 26, 2022 UCW 13 The Fairies Are Coming to Fayetteville by ASHLEY SHIRLEY COVER STORY Fairies, flowers and rainbows set the stage for a fantastic downtown adventure on July 29 and 30. Expect a hint of enchantment in the air as Midsummer Magic returns for its seventh year with more fairy fun for the entire family. Inspired by William Shake- speare's tale of magic and mis- chief, "A Midsummers Night's Dream," the fun-filled two-day scavenger hunt will send par- ticipants on a journey around downtown Fayetteville to search for clues. Following a fairy journal, which can be found online or at several downtown businesses, those participating will journey to a fairy door, behind which will be a letter to help reveal a secret message. And, like any good guidebook, the fairy journal will also point out where participants can find special promotions, points of in- terest and special activities. Everyone is encouraged to dress in their most fantastic fairy, sprite, goblin, dwarf or wizard ensemble for a chance to win this year's costume contest. Participants only need to tag their picture on their personal social media page with #Mid- summerMagicFayNC to enter for a chance to win prizes. e costume contest is sepa- rated into categories for pets, groups, adults and children aged 12 to 17, 5 to 10 and 0 to 4 years old. e LlamaCorns of Mid- summer Magic will return for their second year, provided by Shaky Tails Party Animals, and performers will be scattered throughout the event to delight those on their quest. e day promises a wealth of unique sights and sounds, which is what Betsy McElwee, former social media marketing coordinator for the Downtown Alliance, is looking forward to the most. "I love walking around down- town and seeing people and talking to them. I'm really excit- ed to see the new performances this year. I'm looking forward to just being downtown," she said. According to their social media page, "e Downtown Al- liance's mission is to encourage business and retail growth in downtown Fayetteville, and to promote the success of down- town businesses." Conceived as a signature event for the Downtown Alli- ance, Midsummer Magic is a unique opportunity to bring the people of Fayetteville together for a tour of the businesses downtown has to offer. Each participating business is tasked with creating a unique theme-driven experience for potential customers so that each stop will provide something new and different. "Even if you don't want to do the scavenger hunt and quest, it's still fun to go down and see everything," McElwee ex- plained. "We want people to know about the businesses and shops downtown. It's really about get- ting people to engage with the businesses, see how great down- town is and circulate through the area." e festivities begin at 11 a.m. on July 29 and 30, but there's no official "start" time for the scav- enger hunt. Midsummer Magic is free and open to the public, but some activities will have an associated cost. All fairy journals must be turned in by July 30 to be eli- gible for prizes. For more information regard- ing Midsummer Magic and to download a fairy journal, visit https://www.faydta.com/our- events/downtown-fayetteville- scavenger-hunt/. ASHLEY SHIRLEY, Staff Writer. COMMENTS? editor@upandcom- ingweekly.com. 910-484-6200. Left: Shadows of Fire Dance Troupe performs at Midsummer Magic in downtown Fayetteville. Center and right: Magic fairy door s hold the key to a mystery as part of the Midsummer Magic scavenger hunt in downtown Fayetteville. ( Photos courtesy of e Downtown Alliance) Left: e Magic Llama-corns of Midsummer Magic, provided by Shaky Tail's Party Animals are a welcome feature at Midsummer Magic in downtown Fayetteville. Right: A group of fairies performs at Midsummer Magic in downtown Fayetteville. ( Photos courtesy of e Downtown Alliance)